DHS Report Details Secret Service Failures During 2024 Trump Rally Shooting in Butler

A newly released Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General report has identified a series of critical security and communication failures by the U.S. Secret Service during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.

The report concludes that the agency “missed multiple opportunities to detect, prevent, and disrupt” the attack carried out by Thomas Matthew Crooks, who opened fire from the rooftop of a nearby industrial building, injuring Trump, killing one attendee and wounding several others before being fatally shot by law enforcement.

Secret Service Operator Searched Online for Rooftop Location

One of the report’s most striking findings states that after receiving information about a suspicious individual on a rooftop, a Secret Service counter-drone operator attempted to locate the building using an internet search instead of immediately confirming its position with local law enforcement officers.

According to the report, local authorities contacted the Secret Service communications room at approximately 6:09 p.m., warning that a suspicious person had been spotted on the roof of the American Glass Research International (AGR) complex.

However, investigators found that neither the communications supervisor nor the counter-drone operator requested the building’s exact location from officers on the ground.

Instead, the counter-drone operator reportedly searched online for the building while the situation rapidly escalated.

Before that search was completed, Crooks fired multiple shots toward the rally stage.

Trump’s Protective Detail Was Never Warned

The Inspector General’s report states that Trump’s immediate protective team was never informed that an armed suspect had climbed onto the rooftop overlooking the rally.

Investigators concluded that although local law enforcement personnel had identified Crooks as a growing threat, the information never reached Secret Service decision-makers responsible for protecting the president.

As a result, Trump’s security detail remained unaware of the danger until gunfire erupted.

The report emphasizes that Secret Service personnel failed to classify Crooks as an urgent threat before he began shooting.

Communications Breakdown Identified

The DHS investigation found that a major communications failure occurred because the Secret Service did not establish a joint communications center with local law enforcement agencies operating at the event.

According to the report, local officers transmitted 102 radio messages concerning Crooks before the shooting.

Those transmissions included increasingly urgent warnings describing a suspicious man carrying a rangefinder, moving around the AGR building and eventually climbing onto the roof with what appeared to be a rifle.

Because Secret Service personnel were not monitoring those radio channels directly, the warnings never reached key officials responsible for Trump’s security.

Instead, the agency reportedly received only a handful of phone calls and text messages regarding the suspicious individual.

Timeline of Escalating Warnings

The report outlines a timeline showing that local officers became concerned about Crooks well before the attack.

At approximately 5:42 p.m., officers reported seeing a young man carrying a rangefinder near the AGR complex while apparently observing the rally stage.

As the event continued, additional radio calls warned that the suspect had climbed onto the rooftop.

At around 6:11 p.m., officers radioed that the individual appeared to be armed with a long gun.

Moments later, Crooks fired eight rounds toward the stage.

One bullet grazed Trump’s ear, while another rally attendee was killed and several others sustained injuries.

Law enforcement officers returned fire shortly afterward, killing Crooks.

Site Security Decisions Also Questioned

Beyond communication failures, investigators also examined security planning before the rally.

According to the report, Secret Service personnel had proposed placing large vehicles between the AGR building and the rally stage to block potential lines of sight toward Trump.

However, campaign staff reportedly objected, expressing concerns that the vehicles would interfere with media camera angles.

The report states that security officials then repositioned the trucks elsewhere after discussions with campaign representatives.

Investigators did not conclude that this decision alone caused the security breach, but noted it formed part of the broader planning process reviewed during the investigation.

Report Calls Out Missed Opportunities

The Inspector General concluded that the Secret Service had multiple opportunities to identify and respond to the threat before shots were fired.

Among the report’s findings were:

• Failure to recognize the rooftop warning as an immediate security risk.
• Failure to verify the building’s location directly with local officers.
• Failure to relay information to Trump’s protective detail.
• Lack of integrated communications between federal and local law enforcement.

The report describes these combined failures as significant operational shortcomings that reduced the agency’s ability to respond effectively during a rapidly developing threat.

Ongoing Review of Security Procedures

The attempted assassination prompted widespread scrutiny of Secret Service operations and protective planning for high-profile public events.

Since the incident, congressional committees and federal investigators have continued examining the agency’s procedures, interagency coordination and event security protocols.

The Inspector General’s report is expected to contribute to ongoing discussions about improving communication systems and strengthening coordination between federal protective agencies and local law enforcement during presidential appearances.

The Secret Service had not publicly commented on the report’s findings at the time of publication.